Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic Contractually Bound (20/21)

Previously On Contractually Bound:


"I can't wait until you're healed completely," she murmured.

"Me too," he agreed. "On the upside, however, I'll probably be able to take some time off from my duties around the palace."

"Probably?" Lois asked, her voice taking on the same wry edge his had taken.

"Well," Kal began, now turning serious. "I guess Dad didn't tell you the news, huh?"

Beside him, Lois shook her head. "What news?"

"Dad's planning to officially name me as his heir. Along with Ching," he clarified.

"So one day..."

"Ching and I will both be Supreme Lord. And you'll be Supreme Lady."

"That's..." she fumbled for words, her mouth open in shock. "Congratulations, Kal. You'll be an excellent ruler. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks," he said, still feeling somehow unworthy of the appointment. "But, well, I'll only be a good leader because I'll have you at my side. You've helped make me the man that I am, Lois."

She shook her head again. "No, that's not true. You were a 'one in a billion' kind of man well before I ever met you."

"No, Lois," he said, speaking earnestly. "You've changed me, ever since the day we met. I'm a better person because of you."

"I think the medicines are affecting your mind," Lois teased him.

Kal chuckled. "Despite the fact that my head feels stuffed with cotton, I've never thought so clearly before."

Lois twisted in his arms, flashing him a brilliant smile. She kissed his lips, and he responded, almost hungrily. As their tongues danced to that most ancient of tunes, Kal felt as though Lois' love alone would cure his ailments. He felt stronger already.

After a time, they broke from their kisses. Kal's entire body was abuzz with the warmth and comfort that Lois' show of love had infused his body with. He lay back into his pillows, feeling breathless from the intensity of their kisses and the powerful emotions they invoked. Next to him, Lois settled back down, and Kal silently encouraged her to snuggle closer. She obliged and laid her head on his shoulder, while he wrapped his arm carefully around her body. She sighed in contentment, and Kal did the same, closing his eyes and savoring the moment.

Completely at peace for the first time since Lois and the others had been captured, Kal surrendered himself to the realm of blissful sleep.


***


Life Goes On


Months passed by, each one bringing Kal further and further from his injuries. Lois' family stayed on at the palace for a long time, with Samm fretting over the prince's health, despite the fact that Kal only got stronger with each passing day. Normally, Kal would have complained about the constant worry over his recovery. But not this time. This time, he willingly submitted himself to Samm's daily check-ups without a word of protest. Head injuries were not to be taken lightly. And, more importantly, it appeased Lois, who fussed over and worried about his wounds even more than the good doctor did.

Once Kal was feeling stronger, he had undergone an operation on his severely damaged knee, with Samm correcting the problems within the joint. The recovery process was slow, leaving Kal frustrated that he couldn't do all of the physical activities he enjoyed - sparring with his brothers, going for a run, playing sports. And yet, he still did not complain. He was alive. His family was alive. And that was all that truly mattered to the prince. His temporary discomfort and limitations were a small price to pay for that knowledge. Besides, Samm had been able to correct some of the lingering issues from the previous injury to his knee. And once the joint was fully healed, Samm was all but certain that the knee would no longer trouble the prince, no matter how hard he worked it.

Lois seemed to enjoy the fact that her family was around - a stark change to how she normally seemed to view such close proximity to her parents. But, ever since Kal had come out of the coma he'd slipped into at Lux Manor, he'd noticed a dramatic change in the Lyne family dynamic. Samm no longer attempted to control anything his daughters did or said. Kal even saw him encouraging them on a few occasions. Elle had mostly stopped her criticisms, from what Kal could tell, though she still rivaled Lois in her ability to speak a mile-a-minute without pausing for breath. And Luci had become rather close with Jai, forming a close friendship with the half-prince.

Kal smiled to himself as he thought of his younger brother. Jai had become almost another person since the abduction. He'd become more serious, more attentive to ruling the planet. Whereas the half-prince had once avoided the main hall on the days when petitioners came to the palace, seeking help and justice, he now regularly attended. The Elders hadn't been thrilled at first, but a sharp word from Jor-El had silenced any further grumbling. Jai never spoke much during those long hours at court, but he had admitted to Kal that he was still getting used to all that went into those days.

And, Kal knew with certainty, Jai had forsaken the palace concubines. That had been the biggest surprise out of all of the changes he'd witnessed in his brother. Though Lois had told him of Jai's half-pledge, half-prayer while locked way in Lux Manor, Kal had harbored his severe doubts that the half-prince would ever truly stick to his promise. But Jai had done it, and Jor-El had dismissed the women the palace had once kept on staff. Ever since Lara's death, the Supreme Lord had taken no joy in the professional care givers, and now that none of his sons sought out their services, there was no reason to continue keeping them on staff. Most of the women had gone on to work for other noblemen. Some had taken the opportunity to pursue other careers. Nita, one of Jai's favorites, had gone on to marry one of the young chefs who worked in the palace kitchen, and now worked alongside her new husband. Catira G'rat had gone on to work for Arta Ch'w, who had recently become the third wealthiest nobleman on the planet. Kal had even heard rumors that the two had hit it off so well, that it looked likely that Catira might soon become Lady Catira Ch'w.

Kal sighed as he looked out over the gardens from his perch high above. He leaned against the railing of his balcony, enjoying the warmth of the early summer sun. Even from that height, the fragrant smell of the various blossoms below wafted up on the warm breeze. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes in contentment, letting his mind wander freely.

And yet, as he thought back over the spring and winter months, he still could not help but feel slightly uneasy. He had, out of duty, attended the trials of Lux Uthor, his sons, and all of the members of the Uthor household who had been instrumental in the abduction, as well as that of Jen Mai. The former Elder had proven himself forthcoming with as much information as he knew, his cowardly colors once again showing as he betrayed the Uthors in an effort to save his own life. He had offered up every detail of Lux's plot - how Lux had come to him, how he'd offered to make Jen Mai the Chief Elder once the planet was under his control. He had admitted to knowing for years of how Lux and his sons had been responsible for the deaths of the women who had worked for them, and had named Nor as the main killer, which had not surprised Kal in the least. Jen Mai had also confessed to being the one to suggest to Lux the poison which had taken the nobleman's late wife's life, though Jen Mai swore he had had nothing to do with obtaining the rare, deadly concoction.

The former Elder had been stripped of his title and sentenced to die. Truth be told, Kal had been surprised at the sentence. He had thought for sure that Trey and the other Elders would have opted to spare Jen Mai's life. Bil had promised Jen Mai that he would speak on his behalf, in exchange for the man's cooperation in the proceedings. But the former Elder's actions at the end had not made the Council lenient towards him, not in the least bit. On the one hand, Kal was bothered by the look of absolute betrayal Jen Mai had worn when the sentence was passed. On the other, the man had been so crucially instrumental in the abduction of the royal family that if his life had been spared, it would have left Kal permanently on edge, even if Jen Mai never had contact with another person in his entire life. Only one comfort was afforded to the disgraced former Elder. His body was not broken down to the molecular level. He was allowed to choose his death, and he had opted for a poison which stopped his heart less than a minute after he'd swallowed it down.

Lux and his three sons had all been charged with high treason, as well as the murders of their household staff. Lux had faced the added charge of Ara Caln's death as well. Their trials had been short and they had all predictably been found guilty and sentenced to death. Lux had made a desperate attempt to grab for Bilan's gun, but the Chief of Security had been watchful for such a move and easily foiled the attempt. The whole time, Lux had threatened that he'd take his own life before allowing the Elders to disintegrate his body down to the molecular level. Kal didn't doubt that Lux had spoken the truth. The nobleman had always wanted to live and die by his own rules. But, in the end, Lux's life had ended in the cylindrical chamber that made up the molecular disbander. The only saving grace, the only small bit of comfort that Lux had been granted, was that his life was cut short before that of his sons. He hadn't needed to watch his children vanish into nothingness. And Kal had to believe that even a man as evil as Lux had to harbor some love in his heart for his children.

Not even Rygel, Lux's manservant had been spared. He too had been found guilty of treason, for it was he who had stolen the gas canisters that had been used in the initial attack on royal family. His was the last life the Elders had put an end to. Most of the guards the Uthors had used to keep watch on the estate had been blissfully unaware of what had been going on behind closed doors. Many had simply attributed the increase in security to nothing more sinister than a fear that if the princesses and princes could disappear, then who was to say that no attack would be made on the third wealthiest family as well? They had been spared, but others had been aware of the situation, and were found guilty of treason as well.

The sentences for all the men had been carried out right there in the Council's chambers, as soon as the verdict had been declared. Kal hadn't planned on witnessing their deaths. It made him sick to the very pit of his stomach. And yet, he had stayed. He had resisted the almost overwhelming urge to rise from his seat and exit the chambers when it came time to carry out their sentences. He had forced himself to watch as the men were put into the molecular disbander and witnessed as they slowly became transparent, then vanished altogether.

Kal hated to admit it, even to himself, but there was a small part of himself that had been glad that he'd forced himself to watch. Seeing, with his own eyes, each of those lives end had reinforced only one thought in his mind. Never again could they threaten his family. It was the only thing that allowed Kal to sleep soundly at night. It was the only thing that chased away the nightmares which had plagued him from the time he'd come out of his coma until the trials had concluded.

A darkness descended on Kal's mood almost as surely as a raincloud would blot out the sunshine. Shaking his head to scatter his thoughts, Kal forced himself to return to the present, at least for the moment. The sun was still shining brightly, and the warm rays soaked into his skin, dispelling the last of the mental chill that had gripped him. He sighed softly to himself and idly scratched an itch on his left forearm. But despite his efforts to remain in the present, his thoughts once again followed their own paths.

Once the trials had come to a close and the public outrage towards the Uthors had subsided somewhat, Jor-El had approached the remaining Elders. He had laid out his proposal to them, to name both of his trueborn sons as his heirs, so they would both be raised to the role of Supreme Lord upon his death.

Kal hadn't been privy to that conversation, nor had Ching. But their father had filled them in on all that had been said. There had been some astonished murmuring within the chamber, so rare it was that a Supreme Lord called upon the ancient law which made it legal to do such a thing. But there had been very little discussion about Jor-El's request. All of the Elders had been in agreement that naming both Ching-El and Kal-El as the crown princes was the best thing for Krypton. As with all other formal occasions, the announcement had been broadcast over the entire planet that very same afternoon.

Kal still hadn't been able to get around very well at the time, and had mostly been confined to the palace. But Jak had been his eyes and ears, reporting back to his prince nightly on all that he heard and saw. He had provided Kal with insight into the mood of the people, and all the feedback had been positive. The people loved their prince, and were eager to see Kal named as the Supreme Lord's successor.

The ceremony itself had been postponed until after Kal's head injury had made significant progress in healing, and after the surgery on his knee. The event had taken several hours, as Trey led the Elders through the ancient rituals that governed the ceremony. Kal had been grateful for the fact that it happened so close to his knee surgery. It had meant that he'd been able to spend the majority of the ceremony seated in a comfortable chair. And while that hadn't actually lifted any of the attention from him, it had made him feel far less self-conscious than if he'd been forced to stand before the people who had gathered to witness his coronation. It had also given him the perfect excuse to have Lois at his side for the entire event, as she aided him whenever the need arose. As a result, his good hand had been in hers for nearly the entire event, save for a few brief times when he'd been forced to interact with the Elders, when he'd sworn his oaths upon the Book of Law and the ceremonial Scepter of Rule. Still, Lois' presence had made the long-winded event tolerable, and Kal had taken comfort and strength from her as she silently sat beside him, gently squeezing his hand every now and again to send a message of reassurance to him.

Sometimes, Kal still couldn't believe that he was now officially heir to the throne. True, he was one of two heirs, but it still occasionally stunned him to know that he would one day truly be in charge of the planet. No longer was he his brother's heir, in the event that Ching never had a son of his own. The responsibility weighed heavily on Kal's mind whenever he dwelled on that fact, even though he knew he'd always taken his perceived role as Ching's future advisor just as seriously as he now took his role as the future Supreme Lord.

But it had helped to focus him a bit. He now took his duties as prince far more seriously than he ever had, and even found some of his faded joy in doing those tasks returning. He still missed Lois terribly on the days when he was at court hearing petitions, but he found his mind straying less and less as he listened to pleas and helped rectify the injustices set before him. And, Kal had to admit, it felt good to be doing those things once again. After he'd woken up in his chambers, after the fiasco at Lux Manor, he had been forced to take a step back from his duties as he healed.

At first, his fractured skull had been the greatest source of concern. Samm had fretted over every move Kal had made, and had requested that Kal spend a great deal of time in bed. Kal had obliged the good doctor, but only because his confinement was made bearable by the fact that Lois was constantly at his side. Although, Kal thought with a smile, Samm never would have approved of most of the activities the bed-ridden prince had engaged in while he'd recuperated. At least, not while he was still on the mend.

Then, once his head had healed enough so that Samm wasn't continuously clucking his tongue over Kal's every movement, he had undergone the surgery to repair his knee. At first, he'd been in fits of pain after the procedure, even with the painkillers Samm provided to him. He simply hadn't been able to concentrate all that well the one day he'd attempted to sit at court with his father and brothers, and that had put an end to that experiment. Later, he had been kept busy with rehabilitating the joint, which forced him to miss more of the petition days.

But now, life was finally starting to settle back down for Kal. And that was a very welcome breath of fresh air for him.

Kal smiled to himself as he continued to lean on the rail of his balcony, still enjoying the warm shafts of sunlight that were slowly tanning his exposed skin. He watched as a pair of birds lazily flew by, wings outstretched but unmoving as they drifted on the thermals high above.

All in all, Kal reasoned to himself, he'd gotten off easy with all the minor inconveniences and adjustments which had so recently thrown his life into turmoil. It could have been worse. He could have been permanently disfigured or disabled. He could have lost his life. He could have been too late to save his loved ones.

He knew that Ruce was having a much harder time with the recent adjustments to his own life. Some weeks after the ceremony which had officially named Kal as Jor-El's legal heir, the Council of Elders had met to discuss the gaping hole in their number, now that Jen Mai was no longer one of them. A replacement had been needed.

Kal hadn't even been aware that the Elders had begun to discuss the matter, not until they had fully discussed and voted on the issue. Ruce had almost unanimously been chosen to fill the empty seat on the council. Kal had heard whispered concerns that the man was far too young to be raised to the prestigious title of Elder, but that had been the only real concern. No one doubted that he had proven himself worthy and loyal with his actions in aiding Kal's efforts to save the rest of the royal family from Lux Manor.

Kal had been, and still was, ecstatic over the decision. Ruce was a perfect choice, in his mind. He was devoted to helping the poorest citizens of Krypton, and was capable of remaining fair, no matter what the circumstances. He was also devoted to seeing justice prevail over the planet. And, if Kal were to be completely honest, having Ruce on the Council was the first step in changing the outdated and unfair laws, as he and Ching had always hoped to achieve. Still, it meant that Kal hadn't seen much of his friend, for Ruce's time was now spent committing each of Krypton's laws to memory. The prince didn't envy that at all. He'd agonized over learning them throughout his entire life, until each one had imprinted itself into his memory in some way, shape, or form, though he was by no means an expert on all of them.

Kal watched the birds until they moved beyond his sight. Then he pushed himself away from the railing, rubbing his forearms where his weight had forced the stone to make little indentations in his skin. He squinted as he looked towards the sun, shading his eyes with one large hand. It was getting late in the afternoon, though the sun still hung somewhat high in the sky. Still, Kal felt that he'd dallied enough out on his balcony. He had work to do, and he had every intention of finishing it by the end of the night. With a contented sigh, he tore his eyes from the nearly cloudless sky and turned. Inside his chambers, on the opposite side of the glass, Fasa lay on the floor, attentively watching Kal's every move. When he realized that Kal was looking at him, the tabby stood and plaintively meowed at him. Kal chuckled, opened the door, and reentered his chambers.

Fasa wound himself around Kal's ankles, begging for attention. Smiling, Kal bent and scratched the cat's head. Fasa purred and closed his eyes as Kal's finger moved to scratch behind the tabby's ear. After a few minutes, Kal stood and went to his computer, where it sat waiting at his desk. He settled himself down into the leather chair, then flipped open the computer's lid. A document was already open on it, waiting for him to finish what he'd been working on before he'd taken a break out in the sunshine.

Kal paused for a moment, re-reading some of the things he'd written, absently chewing his lower lip as he did so. He nodded to himself as he read, pleased with the wording he'd chosen for the proposal he had been crafting for the last two weeks in fitful starts and stops, utilizing what little spare time he'd had. Reaching the end of the document, he paused and thought for another couple of minutes, getting himself back into the right frame of mind before he laid his fingertips to the keyboard. He began to type at a nearly furious pace, the words springing to mind at a thousand miles a minute. He felt he could barely keep pace with his own thoughts, which often seemed to be the case for him as he wrote, when he thought about it. It was, for him, a completely natural process, like he'd been born to write.

For another two hours, he worked diligently, typing at a frantic pace in between periods of re-reading and editing. But at last, he felt like he'd said everything he wanted to say, had clarified everything that seemed even remotely ambiguous. Reading the entire document again, he felt very good about it. He'd have Lois take a look at it when she got back home from spending the day in the city with her mother and sister. Kal wondered how late it would be when she would finally return. He missed her, though she had only been gone since just before lunch.

As if on cue, Kal heard the door to his chambers open. He stood from his desk and stretched mightily, rolling his shoulders to work out a kink that had formed as he'd inadvertently hunched over his computer. He yawned mildly, realizing only now how long he'd spent staring at the computer screen, and he rubbed his eyes with the back of one hand. In another moment, Lois entered the living room, a couple of bags dangling from her forearms. She let them slip off her arms to fall in a heap on the floor as she rushed to Kal.

"Hi," she said, as she flung herself into Kal's waiting arms.

"Hi," Kal replied, barely getting the word out before pressing his lips to hers.

As he always did, Kal felt his heart skip a beat at the contact with her soft, inviting lips. He moaned a little into her mouth, unable to help the feelings that were running through his body. Lois responded, kissing him back with an even greater intensity. When she finally pulled out of their kiss, they were both breathless and slightly flushed.

"I missed you," Kal said, resting his forehead against hers.

"I missed you too," she said, her arms threaded around his neck.

"Did you have a good day in the city with Luci and your mom?"

Lois nodded. "I did. Although, it would have been even better having you there with us. You know, Mom's...different...now that she isn't drinking so much. I still wish she would stop completely."

"Well, she's making progress," Kal said encouragingly. "At least she's making the effort."

"True. But, Kal, I have to say it. I hate the extra security that's around now. I feel like I can't even go to the bathroom without someone watching my every move. It's creepy."

Kal shrugged a little. "Dad's terrified that someone else might try what the Uthors did. Give him some time so that the paranoia can wear off. I don't like it any more than you do. But it's the safest thing right now."

"It's the creepy thing," Lois asserted once more.

Kal chuckled and gave her another light kiss.

"It's so good to be home," Lois sighed. "No watchful eyes. Just you and me. Alone." Fasa meowed as he ran by, batting at one of his toys. Lois giggled and rolled her eyes in amusement. "Okay, make that almost alone."

"So...did you buy anything good?" Kal asked, briefly removing his flesh from hers as he nodded at the small pile of bags, effectively changing the topic.

Lois shrugged. "A couple of things."

"Care to tell me?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Not even a hint?" he teased back, putting on his best puppy-dog face for her.

"Nice try."

"Aw, come on. Please?" He put a small, feigned whine into his voice, and enjoyed the smile that crossed his wife's lips.

"Later," she promised him. "How did your day go?"

She broke from their embrace and settled on the couch. Kal sat beside her, snaking his left arm around her waist and pulling her close.

"It was all right," he said, shrugging. "The petitions didn't last as long as I thought they would. It was kind of a nice surprise, if you want to know the truth."

"I thought you liked hearing them," Lois teased, smiling at him.

"You know I do," he replied, grinning. "But, well, fewer petitions are always a good sign. It means no one is really having any problems. Plus, it gave me some free time, which was nice."

"And...you used your time to beat Ching and Jai in a game or something?" She winked at him playfully. "Down in the gym perhaps, now that your knee is getting better?"

Kal chuckled. "Are you kidding? Your dad would kill me. I did, however, finally finish writing up our proposal to bring before my dad and the Elders."

Lois' eyes widened. "You did? That's great!"

Kal nodded. "It took long enough, I know. I'd like you to give it a read before I send it to Dad though. You're good with catching my mistakes."

Lois nodded. "Of course."

"I still think it's a great plan," Kal said. "You are one smart woman, Lois." To drive home his point, he kissed the side of her head.

It had been Lois' idea to install video equipment in the more remote and poorer sections of the planet, ones that would be linked to a similar set up in the palace. That way, on petition days, the poorest of the common folk could set their pleas before the Supreme Lord and his sons, without having to travel the distance to the palace. Many of them could not afford to take the time away from their livelihoods, nor could they afford the expense of such a trip. And, it would promote job growth in those areas, as there would be a need for extra guards to watch over the gathered crowds as they waited for their turn to speak. Kal had fallen in love with the idea immediately, and together, they had laid out the plans and worked on the document that Kal had finished writing that afternoon.

"I know," Lois shot back at him, still teasing him. "And you are one smart guy for recognizing that." She grinned as Kal chuckled.

"The proposal is still up on the computer," Kal said. "That is, if you want to have a look now."

Lois hesitated. "Maybe later," she said after a moment. "I just want to sit and relax with you for a little while."

"Okay," Kal nodded. "No objections here."

He leaned back into the couch, content, for the moment, just to be sitting there, one arm wrapped about his wife. He sighed slightly, completely at peace, and looked out of the windows. The sun was beginning to set, and the unseen painter of the heavens was busily at work with a palette of reds, oranges, pinks and golds. Beside him, Lois fidgeted on the couch before slipping out of his embrace.

"Something the matter?" he asked, as she stood from the couch.

She shook her head. "No. But I have a gift for you. I was going to give it to you tonight sometime after dinner, but well, I've never been very good at being patient with stuff like this. So, you're getting it now. Unless...you want to wait?"

"Whatever you want, honey," he said, surrendering to her sudden babbling.

Lois bit her lip in thought. "Well...I guess now is better. I mean, I'd hate to slip and say something to ruin the surprise."

"Ooo-kay," Kal said, dragging the word out. There were still times when Lois completely baffled him. He tried to guess at what Lois might have bought him, but came up blank. He couldn't even begin to imagine why she'd gotten him a gift. It wasn't a holiday, and his birthday had been several months prior.

Lois continued talking as she crossed the room and began to root around in her pile of shopping bags. Kal heard the bags crinkling as she rifled through them, instantly rejecting some of them, and delving into the depths of others before setting them aside.

"I finally got a chance to slip away from Mom and Luci late in the day. You know, I think Mom's becoming an even bigger coffee addict than she ever was with her alcohol. Now where did I put...? Anyway, she went to get a cup of coffee and Luci wanted one of those sticky pastry things that you like. And I was able to slip away to get you...ah! There it is!"

Lois triumphantly held aloft a wide but slender object. It was wrapped in cheerful yellow paper with blue and green swirls. She grinned, crossed the room, and handed it to Kal. He stood as he accepted the gift, meeting her partway across the room, her sudden explosion of energy prompting him into motion. He smiled at her as he examined the paper.

"Sorry," she apologized, "that's all the wrapping paper that they had at the store. It's kind of tacky, if you ask me."

Kal chuckled. "Only you would worry about that," he teased.

Lois shook her head. "No, that's not true. I watched you obsess for twenty minutes about using blue or red paper when you were wrapping Jai's Winter's Deep gift."

Kal laughed again. "Okay, you got me on that one."

"I always do," Lois grinned. "Well, come on. Don't just stand there. Open it." She eagerly gestured at the gift he was holding.

Kal stifled another laugh that was dancing in his throat, and set to work carefully unwrapping the item in his hands. His finger slid between the paper and the tape, easily breaking the bond that held the two together. Then he peeled the paper away. He was curious to see what lay beneath, but he kept his movements deliberate, mostly because he was enjoying watching Lois bounce up and down on the balls of her feet in impatience. He bit back an amused smile, and instead, pulled the rest of the paper away.

Within the wrappings was his favorite childhood book. His own had fallen apart years ago, and he'd regretfully parted with it. He'd never replaced it, having grown too old by that time for the silly stories and rhymes held within its tattered pages. But now, Lois had bought him a replacement.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, oddly glad to see the book again.

"Open it," Lois encouraged him again, still grinning proudly at her gift to him.

Kal did as he was bid, and opened the front cover. There on the title page, he saw Lois' neat, tight, elegant script. He read the words, then read them a second time as his brain worked to process them.


Daddy,
Will you read this to me, when I arrive?
Love,
Your baby


Kal's knees buckled as the words finally broke through the paralysis that had overtaken his brain. He took a step backwards, his calves connecting with the back of their couch. He gripped the piece of furniture with one hand, steadying himself, forcing his body to remain upright. His entire world shifted crazily on its axis, and he felt a sense of vertigo.

He'd felt that sensation in such a wonderfully positive way only once before in his entire life. That had been the day when Kal had fallen in love with his wife. He had thought then that he would never again experience such a rush of joy, such unbridled love, such complete and utter shock and awe. He had been wrong. This news, if his sluggish mind and half-formed thoughts were correct, rivaled the intensity of that fairy-tale night nearly a year before, when Lois and Kal had kissed beneath a starry summer sky.

"Lois," he breathed, surprised that his voice was working when the rest of his mind seemed to have shut down. "Are you telling me...?"

Lois' grin widened even further and she nodded. "You are going to be a daddy," she confirmed for him. "In about eight months." She lightly patted her still-flat stomach for emphasis.

That seemed to kick-start Kal's frozen thoughts. His smile exploded onto his face, blinding Lois more than the horizontal shafts of sunlight that were spilling into the room from the departing sun. The cheerful wrapping paper slipped from his fingers and drifted to the floor, where Fasa immediately investigated it. The book itself worked its way free of his other hand, and fell to the couch cushions with a ruffling of pages. Kal barely noticed these things as his body suddenly galvanized into action.

He stepped to Lois and grabbed her about her waist, drawing her into a fierce hug. He easily lifted her off the floor and spun in a tight circle with her. Pearls of his laughter escaped his lips, unchallenged as they bubbled up out of his chest and throat. He kissed her deeply.

"That's incredible!" he finally managed to say, putting his wife back down so that her feet reconnected with the floor. "I can't believe it! A baby!" His grin grew even wider as he imagined the little person growing within his wife's womb.

"Well," Lois said, laughing a little herself, "we have been married for more than a year now."

"It's just...I never thought...we haven't been trying..." Kal sputtered, finding himself incapable of completing a coherent sentence.

Lois placed one finger to his lips, silencing him. "I know. But sometimes, things happen when we least expect it. Like when I fell in love with you."

Kal shook his head, still attempting to force his brain to get back up to its normal speed. "I'm so happy," he finally managed to say. "I've always wanted to be a daddy."

"I'm happy too," Lois said, her hand fluttering back to her stomach for a moment. "You know what's weird? A little more than a year ago, the thought of being your wife...and the future mother of your children...it terrified me. But now," she shook her head, smiling. "Now, I can't be happier. And I can't wait to meet this little person."

"Me too. I can't believe I have to wait a whole eight more months to meet this little one. But, I have to ask. When did you find out?" Kal finally said, impressed with his ability to think clearly.

"Yesterday. I saw Dr. K'lin right after he checked on the progress you are making with your knee. You had that meeting with the Elders."

"Right," Kal said, nodding. "I remember."

"Well, after you rushed off to your meeting, I asked him to stay. I had taken a home test that morning, before you woke up, and it was positive. But, I wanted to be sure. So, Dr. K'lin ran some tests and confirmed it for me. I didn't want to say anything in front of you. I wanted it to be a surprise if I actually was expecting, so I could find some creative way of telling you."

Kal nodded. "Sneaky," he said, grinning.

"No one else knows," she assured him. "I wrote the inscription in the book when I was out today, then had Jak take it to the checkout for me. He might suspect something's up, but that's about it. Still, Kal...I'm worried."

Kal's smile immediately faded. "Why? Is something wrong? What did Dr. K'lin say?"

Lois shook her head, reached out, and rubbed Kal's bare forearm soothingly. "Oh. Nothing. That's not what I meant. I'm fine. The baby is fine. It's just, well...I don't know how to break the news. To Zara and Ching, I mean. They've been trying...and they've had such lousy luck."

"Hey now," Kal said gently, lifting her chin up so that she looked at him, instead of down at the carpet, where her gaze had dropped. "It'll be okay. They aren't going to be mad or anything."

"I'm not worried about them being mad, Kal. I just don't want to upset them. It's hard for them. Last week, when Zara and I were out, she couldn't stop sighing every time we passed a family with kids. She thought I didn't notice, but I did."

"I know," Kal admitted. "I know how much she's hurting. Ching too. That last miscarriage was the hardest one yet, I think, for both of them. But, well, I have a little secret to confess."

"Oh?"

"Ching keeps asking when you and I are going to start our family. He's told me at least three times how much he wants a niece or nephew. And forget about Jai. I think he wanted us to get pregnant on our wedding night."

"So...you think Zara and Ching will be okay with this?"

Kal nodded gravely. "I do."

Lois breathed what sounded to Kal like a sigh of relief. He guided her back to their places on the couch, then pulled her into his embrace once they were settled. His hand moved to cover her stomach, and he marveled at the fact that there was a life hidden beneath the layers of skin and muscle. He was astounded that something so wonderful could be created. It rendered him nearly speechless to know that their love had made a new little person come into existence. It was almost overwhelming to him. He sat in stunned silence for a few long minutes, never moving his hand from its protective guard of his wife's midsection.

"Incredible," he murmured, unsure if he was talking to himself or to Lois. Then, directing his voice at her, he spoke again. "I love you, Lois."

"I love you too, Kal."

"And thank you."

"For what?"

Kal grinned at her. "Where do I start? For giving me a baby. For being my wife. For everything that makes you who you are."

"My sweet prince," Lois returned, kissing his forehead. "Thank you for being who you are. My husband. The father of my child. My best friend. And my soul mate."

"I still can't believe this," Kal said, shaking his head a little. "I can't believe how much I already love this child."

"I know. I feel the same way. It's amazing, isn't it?"

Kal nodded, then fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. He frowned before pulling his phone from his pocket and quickly dialing the familiar number. After two rings, Jak picked up.

"Hey, Jak," Kal said brightly into the mouthpiece. "Do me a favor, please. Cancel my appointments for tomorrow. All of them. Yes, even the meeting with the Elders. We can reschedule them for the same time next week. Sure, sure. Sounds perfect. Thanks. Goodbye."

Kal ended the call and put the phone away.

"You just cancelled some very important meetings," Lois pointed out to him.

Kal shrugged. "Nothing is as important as going out tomorrow and buying stuff for the baby's room."

Lois giggled a little. "Kal, sweetie, we don't know if it's a boy or girl yet. And we won't for some time."

Kal grinned. "Oh, it's a boy. Definitely."

Lois laughed. "Oh, really?"

"Yep."

"And how could you possibly know that?"

"Father's intuition," he replied with a sly smile.

"It could be a girl," Lois retorted playfully.

"It could be. And that would be just fine by me. But it's a boy for sure."

He was teasing her now, and she knew it. She whacked him playfully on the arm, which only elicited another laugh from her husband. Kal had a hundred witty responses waiting for her, all jockeying for the leading position on his tongue, but he swallowed them all down. Instead, he kissed Lois deeply, and gave his tongue a new mission of exploring her mouth. She pushed him backwards and crawled on top of him, never once removing her lips from his. Kal's embrace tightened around her as he lay there on the couch, kissing his wife, his hands roaming up and down her back and through her hair.

For a long time, all they did was kiss, heedless of the passage of time, heedless of their own need to breathe, it seemed. But eventually, they parted, and Kal was astonished to see how late it had gotten. They were expected at dinner in only ten minutes' time. Lois seemed to realize it as well as she looked at the clock and sighed. Kal fidgeted with the buttons on his shirt, which had mostly come undone as they'd kissed, though he had no memory of it happening.

"We don't have to go down," he said, in response to Lois' look of disappointment. "I can have Jon make us up some plates so we can eat here."

Lois hesitated for only the most fleeting of seconds before nodding. "I'd like that. I'm not sure that I can hold in this secret, and I'd prefer to talk to Zara and Ching privately when we tell them. Besides, it's been far too long since you and I have had the chance to sit down to a nice, quite meal, just the two of us."

"You read my mind," Kal said, grinning from ear to ear. "Let me just call down and..."

"Dinner can wait," Lois replied, gently cutting him off.

She rose from the couch, taking Kal by the hand as she did so. Kal willingly followed her lead. His heart was bursting with love for the incredible woman he was married to. It only made sense that he follow her as she led him to their bedroom, where that love would take physical form. And as he trailed behind her, his hand in hers, he had only one thought.

He was truly the luckiest man on all of Krypton.


To Be Continued...